SCORES & OUTDOORS: Atlantic salmon restoration steady but slow despite many efforts

/1 Comment/in , /by

Roland D. HalleeSCORES & OUTDOORS

by Roland D. Hallee

I’ve been reading a lot lately about the fate of the mighty Atlantic salmon.

Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, have long been the target of recreational and commercial fishing, and this, as well as habitat destruction, has reduced their numbers significantly. The species is the subject of conservation efforts in several countries.

Several populations of Atlantic salmon are in serious decline in Maine. The Endangered Species Act currently places 11 Maine rivers on the list: the Kennebec, Androscoggin, Penobscot, Sheepscot, Ducktrap, Cove Brook, Pleasant, Narraguagus, Machias, East Machias and Dennys. The Penobscot is the anchor river for Atlantic salmon populations in the U.S. Returns in 2008 have been around 2,000, more than double the 2007 return of 940.

However, on the Kenduskeag River, in Bangor, according to Richard Dill, a biologist for the Maine Department of Marine Resources Bureau of Sea-Run Fisheries and Habitat, over recent years, the return of salmon to the river has been particularly low. In 2012, 624 salmon returned to the fish trap at the Veazie Dam. In 2013, just 372 salmon were counted at the facility.

There has been some success thus far with populations growing in the Penobscot and Connecticut rivers. In November 2015, salmon nests were observed in the Farmington River, a tributary of the Connecticut River, where Atlantic salmon had not been seen spawning since probably the Revolutionary War.

Atlantic salmon were once abundant throughout the North Atlantic. European fishermen gillnetted the salmon in rivers using hand-made nets for at least several centuries. Wood and stone weirs along streams and ponds were used for millennia to harvest salmon in the rivers of Maine and New England. Human activities have heavilty damaged salmon populations across their range. The major impacts were from overfishing and habitat change, and the new threat from competitive farmed fish.

The first laws regarding Atlantic salmon were started nearly 800 years ago. Edward I instituted a penalty for collecting salmon during certain times of the year. His son, Edward II continued the legislation.

Atlantic salmon fishing is illegal in Maine. Anyone who accidentally catches one is required to release the fish alive and uninjured immediately. The fishing rule, listed in the law book under an S-33 code, also requires that “at no time should an Atlantic salmon be removed from the water.”

The North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization (NASCO) is an international council made up of Canada, the European Union, Iceland, Norway, the Russian Federation and the United States. Established in 1983, it helps protect Atlantic salmon stocks, through the cooperation between nations. They work, hand-in-hand, to restore habitat and promote conservation of the salmon.

The Army Corps of Engineers reports that Project SHARE, of Eastport, is seeking a permit from the Corps to conduct work in waters of the U.S. in conjunction with an Atlantic salmon enhancement project in China (Maine), the Narraguagus River and the Barrows Stream, in Crawford.

The application proposes to place fill/structures below the ordinary high water line of the West Branch of the Sheepscot River, in China, along with the other two sites, in conjunction with an Atlantic salmon rearing habitat enhancement project. The fill/structures consist of Post Assisted Log Structures (PALS) and Large Woody Debris. Eighty-eight PALS will be placed in the West Branch of the Sheepscot River to enhance 6,275 feet of river.

The work may impact Essential Fish Habitat for Atlantic salmon. This habitat consists of stream bottom composed of mixed sand, gravel, cobble and boulders. Long-term impact to this species is expected to be minimal with appropriate erosion control measures, in stream work windows and other best management practices. The Corps has primarily determined that the site-specific adverse effect will be minimal.

Much is being done to restore the Atlantic salmon populations in the North Atlantic region, but much more needs to be done.

Next week, see what Kathleen McKeoghain, of AlterNet, has to say about Atlantic salmon populations.

IF WALLS COULD TALK, Week of August 3, 2017

/0 Comments/in , /by
Katie Ouilette Walls
by Katie Ouilette

WALLS, you have talked about our busy days, but Wow oh Wow, this last week has beat them all! Faithful readers, WALLS wonder what you think. We said ‘bye’ to grandkids and their wee ones…yes, in shifts, because son Dean and his wife Donna were here in East Madison or with Donna’s brother David Loubier and his wife, in Winslow. Oh, WALLS, before you forget, make sure to tell our faithful readers about the absolutely beautiful lined and fringed blanket with pictures of fish on it that David and his wife gave to Lew and I, as we had several birthday celebrations on our birthdays. Needless to say, our friends gathering at Lynn and Chuck’s had only great accolades of praise for that gathering.

Yes, it was tough to have our greats leave…some babies and some little ones. We hope the little ones always remember their visit with Nana and Apa (Gramdfather in Alaska) and the loooong plane rides to Maine and, again, back to Washington State.

Now, WALLS, you have another subject for our faithful readers. Yes, you did know that my dad, Henry Valliere, and cousins Willard and Francis Groteau, started the Lake Wesserusett Association many years ago. That was in the day when the Croteau family had bought the land on one side of the ‘inlet of the lake’ and Henry and Roxie had purchased ‘the old swimming hole’ property on “Mud Guzzle”, the Laney’s name for the Inlet. Yes, Gramp Laney and daughters had their cottage ‘just down the Guzzle’ from the old swimming hole and Mim and Ray Laney owned next door. Actually, because ‘the Laney family’ were the originals, dad Henry thought that Laney Road would be a more appropriate name than Fire Lane 2. Oh, we had such a great time, as Mim and Ray (Raymond’s Clothing Store, in Skowhegan) had a bean hole bean supper every Saturday night and George Cannell and ‘musicians’ played for dancing in Gramp Laney’s woodshed behind the Laney cottages. Now, the woodshed is gone, but Chris and Claire Perkins now own the Gramp Laney Cottage and have folks for bean-hole beans plus everybody’s favorite recipes ‘lakesiee’ in summer.

That leads you WALLS to your attending the long-time Lake Association meeting a couple weeks ago. Yes, the president is now Mark Doty (our Inlet neighbor) and, as we assembled for an early breakfast served by the East Madison Grange members, we were given The Lake Book, published for all folks in Maine about keeping our lakes in our great state of Maine in pure and pristine condition. It was reported that Lake Weserunsett still has that pristine condition. Many thanks to those who volunteer to do ‘the count’ every summer and to Sonja Clothier, our boat inspector.

SOLON & BEYOND, Week of August 3, 2017

/0 Comments/in , , /by

The Solon Alumni Association gathered on July 15 with these members of the class of 1967 celebrating their 50th reunion. Front, from left to right, Dotty Padham Lightbody, Eunice Waugh Kenn, Gary Farnham and Maurice Robbins. Back, Mike Bishop, Billy McDonough, Cheryl Hanson Edgecomb and Brent Brown. Contributed photo

Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percyby Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percy
grams29@tds.net
Solon, Maine 04979

Good morning, dear friends. Don’t worry, be happy!

Don’t have any real news to share with you this morning, so I am going to answer a question that has been asked by many recently, “Have you sold your house yet?” The answer is YESS!

Never in my wildest dreams, did I ever imagine that I would have the courage to attempt to sell it myself! Being empty for a few years while I was attempting to dispose of memories and stuff didn’t do it any good, so decided to try and sell it myself. There were three people who had expressed an interest in it last year and I thought the first one who asked really wanted to buy it. After it was completely empty this spring I asked him if he still wished to buy it and he had changed his mind. So I called the other two who had showed an interest and took them through it and the last one decided to buy it, which pleased me greatly! I was not born to be a salesman, and was definitely not into selling real estate.

I sold it to Solonely Acres LLC, and the closing was last Friday in Skowhegan. My blessings and prayers are with them as they take on the task of tender, loving care to bring it back to a beautiful house as people drive into Solon on Ferry Street. The new owners had already started clearing away all the bamboo that had really taken over the yard, I had done my best when I lived there to get rid of that stuff, but it just takes over!

I have faced many challenges in my long life, but clearing out my house of memories, (when I wrote for several different papers, before Percy, I closed the column with, “from Salada Tea and me! And many people sent me Salada Tea tags to use). On days that I came across some of the boxes of the tags and dumped them, were not my best days. Frank and I bought that house when Mary was ten months old and the boys were four, six and eight, it was a good place to bring up a family.

Came across a good piece of words for anyone struggling with a foreseen challenge, and it is, “Challenge is a dragon with a gift in its mouth… Tame the dragon and the gift is yours.” (Very true, words by Noela Evans.)

The other day a little book was loaned to me from a friend who reads Percy’s wise words, and as you all must know by now I love inspiring and humors quotes. This is one of them calle “Belief Is All You Need!” A man was lost while driving through the country. As he tried to read a map, he accidentally drove off the road into a ditch. Though he wasn’t injured, his car was stuck deep in the mud. So the man walked to a nearby farm to ask for help.

“Warwick can get you out of that ditch,” said the farmer, pointing to an old mule standing in a field. The man looked at the haggardly mule and looked at the farmer who just stood there repeating, “Yep, old Warwick can do the job.” The man figured he had nothing to lose. The two men and Warwick made their way back to the ditch.

The farmer hitched the mule to the car. With a snap of the reins he shouted, “Pull, Fred! Pull, Jack! Pull, Ted! Pull Warwick!” And the mule pulled the car from the ditch with very little effort.

The man was amazed. He thanked the farmer; patted the mule and asked, “Why did you call out all of those other names before you called Warwick?

The farmer grinned and said, “Old Warwick is just about blind. As long as he believes he’s part of a team, he doesn’t mind pulling.” (words by James W. Moore) Thanks so much Henrietta!

And as always, I’m waiting for your news to share, just call me, or write, or e-mail, or I’ll come and get what you write if it isn’t too far away.

And so for Percy’s memoirs, they are short this week so I’m going to let him have two short ones! “A moment’s insight is sometimes worth a life’s experience.” (words by Oliver Wendell Holmes 1809-1894) and “Don’t cry because it’s over – smile because it happened.”

SCORES & OUTDOORS: Any-deer permits now available

/0 Comments/in , /by

Roland D. HalleeSCORES & OUTDOORS

by Roland D. Hallee

This bit of news came across my desk this week, and I thought I would share it with you. According to Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, applications for 2017 any-deer (antlerless) permit lottery are now available online from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

To apply online, visit www20.maine.gov/online/nedeer/. Online applications are due by 11:59 P.M. on August 15, 2017.

It is free to apply for the any-deer permit lottery. The drawing will be held on September 8, and results will be posted on the department’s website.

A total of 66,050 any-deer permits will be issued in 22 of the state’s 29 wildlife management districts. This is an increase from last year when there were 45,755 permits available to hunters. The permit allocation is: 16,517 for landowners; 16,517 for juniors; and 1,453 for Superpack holders and 31,563 for all other hunters.

The 22 wildlife management districts where any-deer (antlerless) permits will be issued are 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 and 29. This year, permits have been allocated to districts 7, 12, and 13 as biological data collected and field observations by staff suggest that these WMD’s have experienced population growth.

The department uses the any-deer permit system to manage the white-tailed deer population in the state. The ability to enact change in the state’s deer populations derives from the ability to increase, or decrease, the number of breeding female deer on the landscape. By controlling the harvest of female deer in the 29 regional wildlife management districts throughout the state, biologists can manage population trends.

With last year’s winter below average in severity, more permits can be issued. White-tailed deer are at the northern edge of their range in Maine, and winter severity is a limiting factor concerning population growth. The 2015-16 winter proved to be mild in nature, in fact it turned out to be one of the mildest in the last 60+ years which often results in an increase in the deer population. To offset potential population increases due to increased juvenile survival, MDIFW increased Any-deer permit (ADP) allocations by approximately 60 percent (45,755) from the 2015 allocation of 28,770.

Last deer season, Maine hunters harvested 23,512 deer, representing an increase of 16 percent from the 2015 deer harvest. There were 20,040 deer tagged during the general firearms season, 1,267 deer were harvested during the expanded archery season, 469 deer were tagged during the regular archery season and Maine’s youth hunters harvested 659 deer. Muzzleloaders tagged 933 deer.

Deer hunting season (firearms) begins with Youth Deer Hunting Day on Saturday, October 21. Youth may take a buck statewide or an antlerless deer only in the wildlife management districts where any-deer permits will be issued this fall.

This year, Maine Residents Only Day is on Saturday, October 28, and regular firearms season for deer runs October 30 through November 25. Note: this year, a nonresident who owns 25 or more acres of land in Maine and leaves land open to hunting, holds a valid hunting license, and is not otherwise prohibited by law, may hunt deer on the resident only day.

For more information, visit www.mefishwildlife.com.

I’m Just Curious: T-shirt sayings and wisdom

/0 Comments/in , /by
by Debbie Walker

I guess by now you know that I will read most anything. I’m just curious about your interests (oops, you are reading this column!) It was said of a friend of mine that she would read toilet paper if it had words on it.

I do enjoy reading a lot of different subjects and tonight it has been ads for T-shirts with different sayings on them. So… the T-shirt sayings are pretty funny. The following ones came from a catalog called “Things You Never Knew”:

• I may have the right to remain silent… but I don’t have the ability.

• I try to take one day at a time but sometimes several days attack me all at once!

• Not sure if I washed the spider down the drain in my shower or if he took one look at me naked and then leaped willingly to his death!

• People who Tolerate me on a daily basis…they are the real heroes! (Yup Ken is my hero)

• Don’t let my motorcycle ride interfere with the safety of your phone call! (Please be careful about motorcycles)

• Don’t follow in my footsteps…I think I stepped in something!

• I should be ashamed of my behavior, let’s be clear here I’m not but I should be. (I have too much fun!)

• You know that little voice inside your head that keeps you from saying things you shouldn’t? I should probably get one of those.

• Let’s stop sending money to other countries and let them hate us for free!

• I don’t do drugs and I don’t drink, at my age I can get the same effect by standing too fast!

• People should seriously stop expecting normal from me … we all know it’s never gonna happen! (I do think most of my friends and family have stopped expecting normal from me!)

• When is this “Old Enough to Know Better” supposed to kick in?

• Why is it I can remember the lyrics to my favorite song in high school 20 years later, BUT I can’t remember why I came to the kitchen? (that’s a daily happening thing around here.)

• IF you don’t have to give up your car because others drive drunk with theirs … Then why do you have to give up your gun because others commit crimes with theirs?

• Note to self…Wearing headphones doesn’t make my farts silent!!

• Have you hugged an idiot today? Me neither, come here.

• Respect Your Elders; they graduated school without the internet!

• I just did a week’s worth of Cardio after walking into a spider web!

• I thought growing old would take longer!

• I plan on living forever, so far so good!

• Give me one good reason to act my age!

• Common sense, so rare it’s kind of a superpower.

• Prayer is the best way to meet the Lord BUT messing with my daughter is faster!

There are so many more sayings, and this is just three pages of them! I hope they gave you a giggle or two or three. I’m just curious what your favorite would be! So… contact me at dwdaffy@yahoo.com sub: T-shirts.

Once again, thank you for reading.

REVIEWS: Singer: Eddy Howard; Composer: Vivaldi; Opera singer: Igor Gorin

/0 Comments/in , /by
Peter Catesby Peter Cates

Eddy Howard

My Best to You; My Last Goodbye

Eddy Howard

Mercury C-30053X45, seven-inch 45 vinyl disc, recorded March 13, 1958.

The very gifted singer/bandleader, Eddy Howard, died of a cerebral hemorrhage in his sleep during the night of May 23, 1963, at the very young age of 48. I have written about him before in these pages and will simply state that his 78s, 45s and LPs of ballads and easy tempo love songs still give me great pleasure, upon re-hearing. The wistful My Last Goodbye and the effusive My Best to You, a re-recording of a 1946 hit, are wonderful examples of what could be described as romantic, late ‘40s to ‘50s pop with touches of real blues.

Vivaldi

The Four Seasons

Vivaldi

Corelli: Concerto Grosso No. 8, in G Minor, “Christmas Concerto”; Pergolesi: Flute Concerto No. 2 in D Major- Karl Munchinger conducting the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra and Werner Krotzinger, violin, for Vivaldi; Jean-Pierre Rampal, flute, for Pergolesi; London Treasury Weekend Classics, 417-873-4, recorded 1971, 1961, 1964.

Karl Munchinger (1915-1990) founded the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra just after World War II and led it for just over 40 years, retiring in 1988. I have enjoyed every record of his that I have heard, if not own. These three works are given spirited performances that will give much pleasure to both newcomers to classical music and to seasoned collectors! This recording of Vivaldi’s Seasons is the second of three for London that the Maestro did, each one with a different fiddler. I own the early fifties mono lp, along with the above, which I like better by a tiny margin because of more rhythmic bite.

Igor Gorin

Largo Al Factotum

Igor Gorin, baritone, with orchestra conducted by Howard Barlow; Ol’ Moses Put Pharoah in His Place- Fred Waring and his Pennsylvanians; V Disc, no. 563, 12-inch vinyl 78 record, probably recorded during World War II.

Igor Gorin

Igor Gorin (1904-1982) was a popular opera and concert singer on radio during the mid ‘30s throughout the ‘40s and recorded 78s for Victor, starting in 1936. His singing on side 1 of the above record of Rossini’s most famous opera aria is quite good, with a fine accompaniment by an orchestra under the conducting of Howard Barlow, Music Director of the CBS Radio Orchestra from 1927 to 1943.

Side two has the Pennsylvanians under their founder and leader, Fred Waring (1900-1984), giving a most festive rendition of the spiritual Ol’ Moses…, itself of average quality. However, I do own a sizable number of the group’s records for Victor, Decca, Capitol and Reprise; at one point in the forties and fifties, it was the most popular choir in the U.S. and former President Dwight Eisenhower watched its TV show every Sunday night, without missing one episode.

The V Disc label provided records for broadcast over armed forces radio stations and several of them are in my collection.

NEWS FROM THE VA, Week of July 27, 2017

/1 Comment/in , /by
Gary Kennedyby Gary Kennedy

This is the era of the realization of the value of the commitment of our men and women in uniform and those who have retired their uniforms. There has been no more advantageous time in our history to seek benefit befitting the sacrifices that our defenders have given. “Thank you for your service” is heard by so many veterans today but only recently has this been equated to an actual, tangible benefit in the lives of those who have been willing to sacrifice all so that we remain Americans and enjoy the freedom that so many countries around the world don’t enjoy.

An example that I am familiar with is our “Blue Water Navy,” which were navy ships anchored or patrolling off the shores of Vietnam while defoliates (Agent Orange) were being sprayed over the country side to kill the vegetation so the enemy would be exposed. For approximately 40 years the government denied any relationship between these chemicals and the diseases that our military succumbed to. Our government took the stand that the chemical only involved the soldier that had “boots on the ground.” Now because of great advocacy by our veteran advocates and political leaders such as Senator Olympia Snowe and current Senator Susan Collins most of these issues are being treated as service connected and compensated.

All states have great advocacy groups such as Disabled American Veterans, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Bureau of Veterans Affairs. Also there are some independent advocates that work behind the scenes. Here in Maine our advocates are located, for the most part, at the Veteran’s Administration, Togus, Maine. Their phone number is 207-623-8411 if you would like to contact someone.

I would be remiss in my reporting if I didn’t mention the #1 affliction to especially combat veterans, although there are other military personnel that have this problem for other reasons, P.T.S.D.. (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). For many years this was the most difficult problem for which to receive help. However, recently there has been a push to take a closer look. This new attitude has resulted in many previous denials to now be acknowledged as accepted and those thousands of veterans who once were lost are now found and are receiving the help they need. So, if you are one that was denied in past years it might be advantageous to visit your VA center once again.

There are so many things that have changed in the VA system that benefits our veterans. It is well worth the time to visit the VA and speak with a veteran’s advocate or service officer. They have a wealth of knowledge and can steer you in the right direction. I have written/developed cases for more than 35 years and can assure you that things are very user friendly these days.

This is the time of year that we salute our men and women in uniform and pay our respects to those who have given their all. It’s a time to think about all the dreams and aspirations that have been ripped away, never to be realized. Just think about it for a moment. Perhaps one of your friends, family or ancestors made the supreme sacrifice. What would they have achieved had they lived? We’ll never know but we have so much opportunity because of their sacrifice.

I have traveled this world and have seen so many people who have looked at me with longing. It’s not because I am great to look at, it’s that I am an American and they can see the freedom in my face, what I am allowed to do and where I am allowed to go. Most observers in the third world can only dream of having that kind of freedom. I have learned that my being an American is precious and worth any price that I have ever had to pay. It’s a fact that some take freedom for granted every day; that is just the way it is. However, when you pass a veterans cemetery, you will start to realize that your freedom isn’t really free at all. Someone paid a very big price for that. Take care and God Bless America.

IF WALLS COULD TALK, Week of July 27, 2017

/0 Comments/in , /by
Katie Ouilette Wallsby Katie Ouilette

WALLS, remember when you wrote and told our faithful readers about how our governor has hoped that products would be made in Maine and sold in other areas of our
United States and you talked about my step-sons selling yachts that are built in both Rockland and Raymond, to Washington State enthusiasts? Well, step-son Dean happened to have a Business Pulse magazine in his luggage when arriving for a visit a couple weeks ago and there was a photo of Dean on the cover! The caption says that No. 81on the top 100 list is Bellingham Yacht Sales.

Are dad Lew and step-mom Katie proud? Well, there is a photo of Nick and Dean standing in front of a Maine-made yacht and the two Ouilette brothers have been standing through the ‘thick and thin’ of a growing business for 33 years. What’s more, business has grown to their opening another office in Everett, Washington, (about an hour down the road from Bellingham).

Now, WALLS, you’ve made the announcement about Bellingham Yacht Sales and Service, but surely you have a lot to say about the family’s (yes, almost the whole family) visiting family members who have a cottage on Pattie Pond, in Winslow, and Lake Wesserunsett, in East Madison. Nick and Dean talked of memories of attending Madison schools and graduating from Madison High School, while Dean’s daughter, Michelle, and her brother, Matt, were also students in Madison as Bellingham Sales and Charters grew. Now, Matt is busy with yacht sales and service and his wife, Heather, is important to the hotel business in Bellingham and mother of Olive and Frances.

Michelle is married to Jason, teaches in Bellingham and is also a busy mom to Kinley and Caden. Oh, WALLS, did you mention that everyone has visited family in Winslow and East Madison and Brittany and her “Bella” are so happy that daddy Chad came along, too. (And a bit of an aside here. Brittany and Chad named their baby girl Arabella Joyce and we are so glad that the grandma who left us years ago, is still remembered.

Yes, we are thrilled that Michelle’s Jason and Brittany’s Chad are truly wonderful additions to the family and really great daddies to our families ‘wee ones’ and ‘little ones’.

Before placing the last “period” at the end, I must tell you about the gathering that daughter Lynn and Chuck hosted on July 22. About 60 wonderful friends gathered at Lynn’s new home in East Madison to celebrate Lew’s and my July birthdays and our 40 years of marriage. Yes, second marriages for each, but how fortunate we are that our kids thought we’d be perfect parents for each one. So now you all know the story of the wonderful family that we truly enjoy, whether in Maine or Washington State …and that is why Katie and Lew proudly point to the greats and grands on their refrigerator door.

SOLON & BEYOND, Week of July 27, 2017

/0 Comments/in , , /by
Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percyby Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percy
grams29@tds.net
Solon, Maine 04979

Good morning, dear friends. Don’t worry, be happy!

The Solon Alumni Association met on July 15 at the Solon Elementary School for their annual meeting with 65 members and guests present. The class of 1967 celebrated their 50th year with eight members present. The ones from that class who attended were Michael Bishop, Gary Farnham, Cheryl Hanson Edgecomb, William McDon­ough, Dorothy Padham Dunphy, Eunice Waugh Kenn, Brenda Whitney Padham and Brent Brown, who traveled from California to attend this important occasion.

Others who celebrated were Alice Davis Heald, 77th class, Arlene Davis Meader and Albert Starbird 76th, Mary Bishop Heald, 75th, and Theona Brann Lagasse 70th.

The reunion was catered by the Solon Pine Tree 4-H Club under the leadership of Eleanor Pooler.

There was a $25 door prize won by Arlene Meader and she donated it back to the scholarship fund.

An auction was held and $753 was raised for the scholarship fund.

In the column that I wrote about the upcoming alumni meeting that didn’t make it to the paper it mentions the ones who had lived in Solon and graduated from the high school, who had died, and they were: Norris Padham, class of 1943, Connie Coombs Hopkins, class of 1950, Jack McCarty, class of 1951, Partricia Tolman Reed, class of 1956, Harold Wood, class of 1963, Colby Waugh, class of 1969 and also Ray Greenlaw.

The Embden Historical Society will be having its annual cookout/potluck meal on Monday, July 31. Social time is at 4:30 p.m.; meal at 5 p.m. If you plan to come bring a casserole, salad, bread, pickles or dessert. Drinks, plates and plastic ware will be provided. It will be held at the Moore camp at 4 Fern Drive on the West side of Embden Lake, located 2.7 miles from the fork in the road of the Embden Pond Road and Cross Town Road.

Received the following in an e-mail from Somerset Woods Trustees: “If you have already been helping build the new trails at Coburn Woods, thank you. If you haven’t or are ready to do more, here’s another opportunity. The trail system, designed by Brian Alexander, will be built for mountain bikes but hikers will also enjoy the new trails winding through the woods. Once completed, we believe this will be the longest mountain bike trail in Somerset County!

Percy welcomed his many compliments received from the friends he made through our column and leaves you with this thought in his memoir this week:

“The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, nor the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when you discover that someone else believes in you and is willing to trust you with a friendship.” (words by Ralph Waldo Emerson).

TECH TALK: The Internet – At War with Itself

/0 Comments/in , /by

ERIC’S TECH TALK

by Eric Austin
Computer Technical Advisor

There’s a war going on, although you might not be aware of it. It’s a war between the almighty dollar and the information superhighway.

I began my career in the early ‘90s, just as the internet-fueled tech boom was taking off. I’ve watched the internet grow from a tiny seed in the mind of Al Gore (ha ha) to the social and economic juggernaut that it is today.

But even from its very inception there were two competing ideas fighting to shape its future. One was an outgrowth of a cultural groupthink: the “hippie” movement of the internet, if you will. It’s an apt comparison, as the philosophy it inspired hearkens back to that optimistic era of peace and love.

This group believed the internet was a chance for humans to reinvent themselves. To escape the shackles of corporatism and Gordon Gekko-greed that had defined the previous decade of the 1980s.

The phrase “information wants to be free” defined this school of thought.

The “open-source” software movement, based on the idea of collaborative genius — that a group of unfettered minds could create something greater than any of its individual parts — gave birth to the Linux operating system, Firefox browser, VLC Media Player, GIMP and many other software programs. Each of us benefits from this movement whenever we download free software distributed under the GNU General Public Software License. And while it’s still only a sliver of the desktop market in comparison to Microsoft Windows, Linux dominates on mobile devices (56 percent) and powers more than 40 percent of the world’s web servers.

You can see the influence of this collaborative philosophy everywhere on the internet, and the world wide web is a better place because of it.

But there is another entity on the internet. A menacing, dark presence that wants to swallow up the hope and optimism of the free information movement. This force seeks to monetize and control the avenues of free access which the internet currently fosters. Rather than bettering society through collaborative social effort, this capitalist creature wants to conquer in the name of cold hard cash. It wants to turn the internet superhighway into a toll road.

This shadow over the internet is cast by ISPs, digital distribution giants and communication companies seeking to cement their dominance over their respective consumer markets.

The debate over Net Neutrality is the most recent battle to be waged in the war of $$ vs WWW. It promises to provide greater stability, consistency and service, but takes away freedom, ingenuity and the unexpected.

I’m here to tell you this is a war we need. It’s one of the good wars. This struggle is what keeps corporate greed on its toes. It leaves room for small start-ups to make an unexpected splash, and keeps established familiars from becoming complacent – yet provides the structure and efficiency that stimulates growth.

Without one we wouldn’t have great services like Netflix and Amazon. But without the other, great services like Netflix and Amazon never would have gotten the chance.

Net Neutrality must be retained because it levels the playing field. It doesn’t prevent bullies on the playground, but it makes sure everyone has a fighting chance.

Support Net Neutrality, not because it’s the right thing to do — even though it is. Support it because without the conflict it creates we wouldn’t have the dynamic technical environment that we’ve enjoyed for the last 20 years.

This is one time when conflict is good. Besides, it frustrates the corporate overlords.

Good. Keep them frustrated.

Get involved! Visit goFCCyourself.com and join almost 11 million other Americans who have left comments with the FCC in support of Net Neutrality.

Further reading:

TECH TALK: Why you can’t afford to be neutral on Net Neutrality

TECH TALK: Net Neutrality goes nuclear